Cats and witchcraft

In different cultures, cats are associated with the supernatural, happiness or unhappiness, healing qualities or injury.

In folklore the cat is the animal that is always the attendant to witches, wizards and fortune tellers in related cat superstitions.

In Ancient Egypt cats are considered sacred creatures. The sun God Ra in Egypt was depicted as a cat and killed the dragon of darkness. Black cats since have been and continue to be associated with darkness and death.

According to legends cats inspire demons as they are the companions to witches. Elizabeth Francis of Chelmsford, England was convicted in 1556 of witchcraft. Her companion ''Satan'' a white cat showed incredible obedience after receiving one drop of blood from his hostess.

Having nine lives it is believed that a witch can be reborn into a cat nine times. Black cats were burned alive as they were seen as companions to witches in the middle ages. It is believed that black cats are an incarnation of Satan.

In some parts of Europe, UK and USA cats are believed to bring good luck. However in other places if a black cat crosses your path it represents bad path for you. According to another belief, if a cat jumped over the corpse of the deceased, the deceased becomes a vampire.

Widespread in South Africa, the voodoo religion includes important roles for cats.

According to ancient folklore, cats have opportunities to seek disease. The soup of black cats in middle ages treated those with tuberculosis.